Brain-eating amoebas kill 10 in Pakistan

A waterborne, brain-destroying species of amoeba has killed 10 people in Karachi, Pakistan, this year, prompting local water officials to increase the amount of chlorine in the city’s water supply and advise residents to use sterilized water when performing a Muslim ritual which involves cleansing the nostrils.

This brain eating amoeba is typically found in warm bodies of fresh water, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is also found in soil, near warm-water discharges of industrial plants, and unchlorinated swimming pools. There is no evidence of this organism living in ocean water.
It can invade and attack the human nervous system. Although this occurs rarely^, such an infection nearly always results in the death of the victim. The case death rate is estimated at 98%

This is yet another reminder of the importance of having a clean supply of water in your survival pack.

You can read more at


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri

or

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/10/brain-eating-amoebas-kill-10-in-pakistan/